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Michigan municipalities with recreational marijuana businesses are getting more than $87 million in payouts this week from taxes on marijuana purchases as sales continue to grow.
According to the Michigan Department of Treasury, 71 counties and 198 cities, townships and villages will receive just over $59,000 per licensed marijuana business within their borders, and can spend the funds as they see fit.
The industry has proven a boon for many local government budgets: For Monroe Charter Township, which borders Ohio, the $945,000 cut from recreational marijuana sales taxes makes up a third of the overall budget.
Marijuana money has already helped improve the township’s parks, fix the roads, pay for another sheriff’s deputy and more, Alan Barron, the township supervisor, told Bridge Michigan. Additional funds this year will likely go toward other projects that otherwise would have been put off, including needed updates to government buildings.
Barron recognizes that a stigma against recreational marijuana remains, even among members of his own community — which is why township officials have largely focused the funds on projects people can experience for themselves.
“The thing we wanted to do is to let people see it … the good things we’re doing with the roads and things with no additional taxes,” he said. “We try to get the good out there.”
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